Safety car control equipment



Sept. 26, 1933. e. COTTER SAFETY CAR CONTROL EQUIPMENT Filed De. 9, 1931 UZON WW I zokkofiqmt *5 I 100\ 0% Ab v H m m mm v kw hb Nb mm Simon w2 INVENTOR. GEORGE L.COTTER y M ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 26, 1933' UNITED STATES 1,927,974. SAFETY CAR CONTROL EQUIPMENT George L. Cotter, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 9, 1931. Serial No. 579,846 10 Claims. (01. 303-19) 7 This invention relates to safety car control equipment in which the brakes are normally manually controlled by the operator and in which the brakes are applied automatically when the operator becomes incapacitated.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of improved means in a safety car equipment for controlling the operation of a single brake valve device from either end of the car.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of improved means in a double end equipment for effecting achange over in controls from one end to the other without obtaining either automatic sanding or a power knockout.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of improved means for rendering the power knockout and automatic sanding devices inoperative while effecting a change of controls from one end of the car to the other.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of illustrative embodiments of thepresent invention.

In the drawing; Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showinga double end foot operated safety car control equipment with the principal parts shown in section; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the equipment showing a modification of the equipment shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

The equipment shown may comprise a brake valve device 10, an emergency valve device 11, a pair of safety control valve devices 12 (one to be positioned at each end of the car to effect double end control of the equipment), a double check anism (not shown) is connected to each safety control valve device 12 for reasons to be later explained. V

The brake valve device 10 is preferably of the straight air self-lapping type and may comprise a casing 20 provided with a mounting bracket 21,

adapted to be secured in desired position to any.

suitable rigid support. The casing 20 contains a chamber 22, within which a movable abutment 23 is slidably mounted. The abutment is provided with a packing ring 24 and guide means in the form of a pin 25, which is adapted to reciprocate. in a bore 26 formed in the casing20. A coil spring 28 urges the abutment to the position shown in the drawing and'a coil spring 27 acts on the opposite side of the abutment and is adapted to be'compressed to move the abutment downward: ly. A laterally extended flange 29, preferably formed integral with the abutment 24,5'serve's as a means for actuating a pair of valves 30 and 31.

The valve 30 is an application valveWhich is con tained in a valve chamber 32 in the'casing 20. The valve 30, which controls communication be:- tween the chambers 32 and 22, is normally retained against a seat 33 by action of. a coil spring 34. The valve is provided with a fluted stem 35 which extends into the chamber 22 and is adapted. to be actuated, to unseat the valve 30, when the flange 29 engages the stem 35 upon the downward movementof the abutment 24. The valve, 31 is an exhaust valve and in thepresent instance is provided with a stem 36 adapted to be received in a slot 37 formed in the flange 29. The stem 36 is provided with a head 38 adapted to engage the flange 29 to limit the movement of the valve 31 away from the flange 29. A coil spring 39, surrounding the stem 36 and positioned'between the valve 31 and the flange 29, serves to normally j maintain the valve 31 in its downward position as limited by. the engagement of the, head 38 with the flange 29. The valve 31 is adapted to engage a seat 40 to control the exhaust of fluid from chamber 22 to the atmosphere through a passage 41.

The emergency valve device 11 may comprise a casing having a valve chamber: 42 containing a pair of valves 43 and 44 carried by a stem 45. The .valve 43 is provided with an outwardly extending fluted stem 46, the movement of which is adapted to operate the valves. The valve 44 carries a fluted stem which acts as a guide. The

valve 43 controls communication between the valve chamber 42 and a chamber 47, which'is connected to the main reservoir in a manner to be hereinafter described, and the valve 44 controls communication from the valve chamber, 42 to a chamber 48 which is-open to the atmosphere through a port 49. A coil spring 50, confined within the chamber- 42, normallyv urges the valve stem 45 to the left to maintain the valve 42 seated.

The safety control valve devices 12, one of which is positioned at eachend of thecar, may comprise a casing having. a valve chamber 51 containing oppositely seating valves 52 and-53 carried by a stem 54.1 The'valve53 is provided valve chamber 51 to a chamber 59, which is connected to the main reservoir in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed. A coil spring 60, confined within the chamber 51, normally urges the valve stem 54 to a position in which the valve 53 is seated. Thesafety valve devices 12 are movably mounted beneath a suitable stationary support 7 such as a'platform 61 of the car for a purpose to be hereinafter more specifically described. The mounting means for each of the safety control valve casings comprises a lever 62 pivotally mounted on a bracket 63. One end or the lever 62 is pivotally attached to a boss 64, formed on the valve casing and the other end is socketed to removably receive an operating lever 65 which is preferably foot controlled. A coil spring 66, attached at one end to the bracket 63 and at the other end tothe lever 62, serves to normally retain thev valve device 12 in the position shown in the, drawing. A pin 6'7 formed on the safety control valve casing is slidably mounted in a slot 68 formed in a bracket 69 for the purpose of guiding the movement of the valve device 12.

The double check valve device 13 may comprise a casing provided with a bore containing a floating piston '70, which divides the bore into a pair of chambers '71 and '72, disposed respectively at the right'and left sides of, the piston '70. In one seating position ofthe double check valve device, as shown in Fig. 1, the chamber 71' at the right of the piston '70 is connected through ports '71 81 having a stem 82 projectingbeyond the casing. The piston 81 is normally urged by a spring 83 to its extreme left hand position in the chamber 80. The stem 82 is provided with a knob 84 adapted to engage and move a lever 85, which is rockably mounted in a circuit breaker device 86.

' A lever 87 is rockably supported on each of the brackets69. These levers 37 are provided with socketed upper ends 88 adapted to remov ably receivea foot pedal 89. The levers 8'7 are each connected by means of a pivoted pull rod 90 to the extremities of an operating lever 91 which is pivotally mounted on a pin ,92 carried by a stationary support 93. A coil spring 94,'connected at one end to a stationarysupport 95 and at its other end to the lever91, serves to normally urge the lever to rotatein a clockwise .directionin which a boss 95 formed on thelever 91 is adapted to engage the end 45 of the valve stem 45 to control the operation of-the emer-, gency valve device'll in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. A link 9'7 connects one end of lever 91 with an arm of a bell crank 99, which is pivotally mounted on a boss formed on the casing 25. A slot 98 formed in the link 9'7 provides a lost motion connection between the lever 91 and the bell crank 99, Th?

brake valve is held in release position as shown in Fig. 1.

With the pedal. 89 held in release position, the stem 55 of the safety valve device is not engaged by the operating lever 89 so that the spring maintains the valve 53 seated and the valve 52 unseated. With the valve 52 unseated fluid under pressure is'supplied from the main reservoir 15 through pipe 105 past the unseated valve 52, to pipe 106 to charge the volume reservoir 18 .and piston chamber '77 of the door operating engine 16. The piston chamber '76 of the door operating engine is also charged with fluid under pressure through branch pipe 106, plug valve-1'7 and pipe 107 when the valve 1'7 is in the position shown in the drawing, which is the door closed position.

With the lever 91 held in release position, the lever does not engage the stem 46 of the emergency valve device 11, so that the Valve 43 is held seated by the spring 50 while the valve44 is held to the atmosphere by Way, of pipe 110, the unseated valve 44 and the atmospheric port 49.

The chambers 32 and 47 of the brake valve and emergency valve devices are respectively supplied with fiuid under pressure from the main reservoir 15 through pipes 103 and 104.

To effect a service applicationof the brakes, the foot pedal 89 is depressed causing the lever 8'7 to rock upon its fulcrum and move the rod 90, which in turn. sheets a counter-clockwise movement of the lever 91 against the resistance of the spring 94/ The counter-clockwise move-. ment of the lever 91 causes the bell crank 99 to be rotated under action of the link 9'7 to depress the pin 100 against the resistance of spring 102. The downward movementof'pin 100 causes the spring 27 to be compressed and move the abutment 23 in the brake valve device 10 downwardly until the flange 29 of the abutment has moved a sufiicient distance to effect, first, the closing of the exhaust valve 31, and then, the opening of the intake valve 30. Upon the opening of the intake valve, fluid under pressure will flow from the chamber 32 past the valve 30 and into cham: ber 22, from whence it flows through pipe 108 to the chamber '70 in the double check valve device 13. The pressure of fluid in the chamber 711387111 move the piston to the left and uncover passages '71' to permit the flow of fluid from the unseated. With the valve 44 unseated, the chamher '72 of the double check valve 13 is connected chamber '71 to the brake cylinder 14, through chamber '74 and pipe 109, to effect an application of the brakes.

When the pressure in the chamber 22 builds up suiiiciently to overcome the pressure of the spring 27, the abutment 23 will be moved upwardly carrying the flange 29 with it and relieving pressure upon the stem of the valve 30, which will promptly be seated under the action of the coil spring 34 to cut off a further supply of fluid to the brake cylinder 14. The movement of the abutment 23 is insumcient to unseat the exhaust valve 31 and consequently the brake cylinder pressure will be prevented from exhausting or releasing. If the formed 'on' the lever 91 to relieve its pressure upon fluid pressure in the chamber22 should be lowered by leakage from the brake cylinder, the'abutment 23 would again descend, causingthe valve 30 to reopen and supply fluid under pressureto' seated'and the valve 143 to be unseatedr The un-' seating of "the valve 43 will permit the brake cyl'-. vinder to be vented'to" the atmosphere through maintain the desired brake cylinder pressure.

To release, the brakes, pressure is relieved upon the foot pedal 89 until it reaches its release position, as shown in Fig. 1, under the action of the spring 94. In release position of the foot pedal 89, the pressure of the bell crankuponthe pin 100 is relieved and consequently the abutment 23 will move upwardly, due to thefluid pressure in the chamber and the pressure of the coil spring 28. the flange 29 upwardly and also move the exhaust valve 31 to unseat it. When the exhaust valve has been unseated, fluid from the brake cylinder will be vented to the atmosphere through pipe 109, chamber 74, passages 71, chamber 71, pipe 108, chamber 22, past the open valve 31 and through the exhaust port 41 to relieve the braking pressure and release the brakes. 1

An emergency or dead mans application of the brakes may be effected by releasing all pressure upon the foot pedal 89; When all pressure is relieved from the pedal 89, the spring 94 will cause the lever 91 to rotate in a clockwise direction and the abutment 96 on the lever 91 will engage the end 46 of the valve stem 45 and move the same against the action of the coil spring 50 until the valve 43 is unseated and the valve 44'is seated. The unseating of the valve 43 will permit the flow of fluid under main reservoir pressure from chamber 47, past the open valve 43, through chamber 42, a pipe 110, to the chamber 72 in the check valve device 13, where it will cause, the pis-- ton to be moved to its right hand extreme position, thus uncovering ports 72' and flowing to the brake cylinder 16 through passage 73, and pipe 109 to charge the brake cylinder 16 with fluid under main reservoir pressure and efiect an emergency application of the brakes. The movement of the lever 91 does not efiect any movement of the brake valve operating lever 99, due to the fact that the pin in the upper extremity of the lever 91 is free to move in the slot 98 formed in the link 97. Simultaneously with the movement of the lever 91, the lever 87 and pedal 89 are rocked under the action of the pull rod 90. An abutment 111 formed on the pedal 89 abuts the end 55 of the valve stem 54 of the safety control valve device 12 and moves the stem 54 against the action of the coil spring 60 to efiect a closing of the valve 52 and an unseating of the valve ,53, as shown in Fig. 4. The unseating of valve 53 permits fluid under pressure to flow from the volume reservoir 18 throughpipe 106, chamber 51, past the valve 53, through chamber 57, and a pipe 112 to the knock-out cylinder and simultaneously through a pipe 113 to the sanding mechanism. The flow of fluid under pressure to the cylinder 80 causes the piston 81 to be. moved against the pressure of the coil spring 83 and causes the knob 84 to engage'and throw the switch lever 85 to open the power circuit on the car. The supply of fluid under pressure through pipe 113 to the sanding mechanism operates autcmatically to effect a sanding of the rails in the usual manner to insure quick stopping of the car.

To effect a release of the brakes from emergency or dead mans application position, the pedal is depressed until it reaches its release po-. sition, at which time the lever 91 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction under the ac-.

' tion of the rod and cause the abutment 96 The movement of the abutment will carrytheend'46 of. the valve stem 45.. The valve stem 45 will then move to the left under the action of.

the;coil spring 50, causing the valve 44 to be pipe 109,'passage 78, ports 72, chamber 72, pipe -1 10, chamber 42, past the unseate'd valve '43 tolthe chamber 48', and thence to the atmosphere through a passage 49. 'Thus, fluid will be vented from the brake cylinder 14 and the brakes-released..- Before further operation ofthe car can be had the switch handle 85 must be manually shown in Fig. 1.01 the drawing.

The door operating engine 16, which is con= stantly maintained charged with :fluid under pressure, may be operated manually at any time in the usual manner. The valve 17, which is shown in door closed position, is provided with an operating handle 114, which may be moved to door open position by being rotated to its returned to-itsnormal circuit closing position, as

dottedline position (as shown inFig. 1)' to cause 1 06, passage and pipe 107, causing the piston 78 to move to the right. The factthat piston 78 has .a greater area than piston 79 willresuit in a movementof both pistons to the right and thus effect a closing of the doors in the usual manner. 3

v In an emergencyor dead mans application of the brakes, fluid under pressureis vented from the volume reservoir 18 through pipe 106 and the safety valve device 12 to the knock-out cyl.- inder and sanding mechanism. The ventingof fluid from the reservoir 18 and pipe 106 also vents fluid under pressure from the piston chambers 76, and 77, so that fluid pressure is relieved from the pistons 78 and 79. When this condition occurs the doors are in a balanced condition and may readily be opened by the application of manual pressure to the doors, so that in the event of the will be drawn away from the pedal 89, so that the abutment 111 will not contact with the stem 55 when pressure is released from the footpedal 89'. The "release of pressure from the pedal 89,- when the valve device 12 has been shifted, will efiect an emergency application of the brakes in a manner previously described. It willnot, however, efiect a knock-out of power or automatic sanding, due to the fact that'the valve stem 55 cannot be displaced by the abutment 111 on the pedal 89. The pedal 89 may then be withdrawn plied until such time as change of controls from one end of the car to the other has been effected by the application and movement of the lever 65 to permit the insertion of the pedal 89 into the socket formed in thelever 87 on this valve device 12. After the pedal 89 is in position it may be depressed to release position to effect a release of the brakes in the usual manner and the lever 65 may then be moved to position the valve device 12, shown'in Fig.1, where the end 55 of the valve stem 54 will cooperate with the abutment 111 of the pedal 89 when pressure is released from the pedal.

Thus it will be seen that the control of the car may readily be shifted from one'end to the other without effecting a knockout of power or an automatic sanding, although a dead mans applica- .tion of the brakes is maintained during the change over.

The modification of the equipment shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, illustrates a means for connecting the brake valve device 10 and the emergency valve device 11 in a manner to preclude the necessity of utilizing the double check valve device 13 shown in Fig. 1. The brake valve device 10 and the emergency valve device 11 shown in Fig. 2, are identical with those previously described and function in the same manner. In effecting a service application' of the brakes, fluid under pressure supplied to the brake valve device 10 through pipe 103', passes to the brake cylinder through chamber 22' and pipe 108'. lease of the brakes, the fluid under pressure in the'brake cylinder is directed from the exhaust passage 41' of the brake valve device 10' through a pipe'110' to the chamber 42 of the emergency valve device 11', from which it passes to the atmosphere past the unseated valve 44', chamber 48' and exhaust port 49. In an emergency application of the brakes, Where the valve stem 45 is moved to the right under the influence of the lever 91 to seat the valve 44', fluid under pressure is supplied to the brake cylinder through pipe 104', chamber 42', pipe 110' past the open valve 31, chamber 22' and pipe 108. The release of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder after an emergency application is identical with that previously described in this paragraph to eifect'a release of the brakes after a service application.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that simple and effective means have been provided which permit the control of a single brake valve device from either end of a car and permit a change over from control at one end to control at the other without obtaining either a power knock-out or automatic sanding, but still maintaining an emergency application of v the brakes during the operation.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail in the foregoing specification it is understood that various changes may be made in its embodiment without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages hereinafter claimed.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

.1. In a safety car control equipment, the combination with a brake cylinder, a brake valve de-' vice,-and means operable manually from either In effecting a re- 1,927,974 from thesocket 88 in the lever 87 and the valve end of the car for mechanically operating said brake valve device to supply fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder to effect an application of the brakes, of valve means mechanically and.

automatically operable upon the release of said manually operable means at either end of the car to supply fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder.

2. In a safety car control equipment, the combination with a manually operable member, of a valve device normally operable upon release of said member for effecting the opening of the,

power circuit on the car, and means for manually moving said valve device out of operative relation with said member to prevent the opening of the power circuit upon release of said member.

3. In a safety car control equipment, the combination with a valve device operable to effect the opening of the power circuit of the car and including an operating element, of a manually controlled member adapted upon release to engage said element, and means for manually shifting said valve device, so that said element is moved out of operative relation with said'mem ber.

4. In a safety car control equipment, the com bination with a valve device operable to effect the opening of the power circuit of the car and including an operating element, of a manually controlled member adapted upon' release to engage said element, means for manually shifting said valve device, so that said element is moved out of operative relation with said member, and

a spring urging said valve device to its operative bination with a valve device operable to effect the opening of the power circuit of the car and including an operating element, of a manually operable means including a removable member adapted upon release to engage and operate said element, means for manually shifting said valve device so that said element is moved out of operative relation with said member, and a spring urging said valve device to its operative position, whereby, upon removal of said member and the release of said manually operated means, said valve device will not be operated to open the pow er circuit. 6. In a safety car control equipment, the combination with a brake cylinder, a brake valve device, and means having a mechanical operating connection to said brake valve device and adapted to be manually operated from either end of the car for controlling said brake valve device, of an emergency valve device mechanically operable by said means and adapted to be automatically operated upon the release of manual pressure from said means to effect an emergency application of the brakes.

' 7. In a safety car control equipment, the combination with a brake cylinder, a brake'valve device, an emergency valve device, a volume reservoir, a knock-out cylinder and a safety control valve device, of a member associated with and movable to control said brake and emergency valve devices, means under manual control for effecting movement of said member, said means including a foot pedal, and means for normally maintaining said member and first named means in one position wherein said member acts upon to supply fluid under pressure to said knock-out cylinder to efiect the opening of the power circuit, said first named means being movable to overcome said last named means to cause said member to act upon said brake valve device to effect a service application of the brakes.

8. In a safety car control equipment, the combination with a brake cylinder, a brake valve device, an emergency valve device, a volume reservoir, a knock-out cylinder and a safety con trol valve device, of a member associated with and movable to control said brake and emergency valve devices, means under manual control for effecting movement of said member, said means including a foot pedal, and means for normally maintaining said member and first named means in one position, wherein said member acts upon said emergency valve device to effect an emergency application of the brakes and said first named means acts upon said safety control valve device to supply fluid under pressure to said knock-out cylinder to eflect the opening of the power circuit, and manually operable means for pressure for opening the car power circuit, of a fluidpressure operated door engine, a volume reservoir, valve means adapted to normally supply fluid under pressure to said door engine and volume reservoir, and operable to supply fluid under pressure from said reservoir to said circuit opening means, and manually controlled means adapted upon release to operate said valve means.

GEORGE L. COTTER. 

